burnaby community heritage commission 2007 annual …services/planning/... · 2011-08-11 ·...

BURNABY COMMUNITY HERITAGE COMMISSION

2007 ANNUAL REPORT

2 | Burnaby Community Heritage Commission Annual Report 2007

BURNABY CITY COUNCIL:

Mayor Derek Corrigan

Councillors: Gary BeginPietro CalendinoSav DhaliwalGarth EvansDan JohnstonColleen JordanLee RankinNick Volkow

COMMUNITY HERITAGE COMMISSION:

Councillor Colleen Jordan, C H A I R

Councillor Gary Begin, V I C E C H A I R Ms. Ruby Johnson, ( C I T I Z E N R E P. )

Ms. Alison Joe, ( C I T I Z E N R E P. )

Mrs. Les Lee Lowe, ( B U R N A B Y H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y R E P. )

Mr. Harry Pride, ( H I S T O R I A N ) Mr. Brian Elder, ( C I T I Z E N R E P. )

Ms. Cleona Winter, ( C I T I Z E N R E P. )

Mr. Alex Ng, ( PA R K S C O M M I S S I O N R E P. )

Mr. Brian Pound, ( PA R K S C O M M I S S I O N A LT E R N AT E R E P. )

The Commission meetings of 2007 included: February 01, April 05, September 06, and November 20.

ISSN 1911-9410

Online version: ISSN 1911-9429

FRONT COVER:The restored Eagles Estate and its staircase, home of the TLC Land Conservancy of British Columbia’s Lower Mainland offi ce, was captured by photographer Tom Fairburn with his unique “light painting” technique.

Photograph courtesy Tom Fairburn, Pacifi c Softlight.

Burnaby Community Heritage Commission Annual Report 2007 | 1

MANDATE

The Community Heritage Commission was established in 1988 by Burnaby City Council under bylaw following the provisions of the B.C. Heritage Conservation Act. The mandate of the Commission has been to advise Council on various heritage matters that are referred to it. The Commission has evolved to create programs and projects, that support heritage conservation as guided by the Offi cial Community Plan, and approved by Council.

The City of Burnaby’s Offi cial Community Plan includes Heritage Planning as one of its goals:

“To Provide opportunities for increased awareness and the conservation of the City’s unique natural, cultural, archaeological and built heritage.”

2007 ANNUAL REPORT

The Community Heritage Commission has signifi cantly advanced the City’s heritage conservation efforts in 2007 through undertaking successful projects in the areas of:

HERITAGE PLANNING PROGRAM

PUBLIC AWARENESS

STEWARDSHIP OF CIVIC HERITAGE

CITY ARCHIVES


The Community Heritage Commission has been leading the creation of a phased program to update the Burnaby Community Heritage Register to new national heritage conservation standards. This project includes two parts: the addition of Burnaby’s protected heritage sites to the National Heritage Register and the creation of a new Burnaby Community Heritage Register.

NATIONAL HERITAGE REGISTER

In 2000 the Department of Canadian Heritage began a new national strategy for the conservation of heritage known as the Historic Places Initiative. The strategy is a partnership among all levels of government to bring Canada’s heritage conservation programs up to date and in line with other ‘G7’ national governments. At the core of this initiative is a new web-based National Heritage Register that includes all protected heritage sites in the country.

The Heritage Planning Program received a grant of $15,000 from the B.C. Heritage Branch in 2007 to complete the documentation of additional heritage sites for the National Heritage Register. Burnaby has now completed documentation, known as “Statements of Signifi cance,” of all heritage sites listed on its Heritage Register prior to 2008 and in total 51 structures are now ready for listing on the “Canada’s Historic Places” website.

HERITAGE PLANNING PROGRAM:

BURNABY COMMUNITY

HERITAGEREGISTER

Sample Burnaby listing on the National Heritage Register “Canada’s Historic Places” www.historicplaces.ca


BURNABY COMMUNITY HERITAGE REGISTER

In 2007 the Heritage Planning Program contracted the compilation of “Burnaby’s Heritage: An Inventory of Buildings and Structures” which is the culmination of many years of effort by the Community Heritage Commission to identify and evaluate the built heritage of the City. This project was completed in 2007 through a contract with heritage consultant Donald Luxton and Associates, with the assistance of a $15,000 B.C. Heritage Branch grant. This new inventory will form a cornerstone of the City’s Heritage Program to identify and create public awareness of the rich history and architectural landmarks that contribute to the character of our city’s unique neighbourhoods. The inventory will be incorporated into the new Heritage Landmarks database on the Heritage Burnaby website.

This publication will also guide the creation of Burnaby’s Community Heritage Register (BCHR), which is an offi cial list of heritage properties, adopted by City Council for planning purposes. The BCHR is comprised of two categories of heritage sites – protected and inventory. The protected properties listed in this publication represent those that have been legally protected under a Heritage Designation Bylaw or another legal agreement that prevents their alteration without the permission of City Council.

The BCHR also lists a number of inventory properties which do not have legal protection but which have heritage values for the community and have been adopted by Council for planning purposes. This publication includes both those heritage resources adopted by Council for the BCHR and properties eligible for inclusion. This new inventory does not create any legal change to the status of these properties, which are listed and not legally protected, rather it is the fi rst step in creating awareness and sharing the knowledge of the heritage values associated with these sites.

The Masonic Cemetery’s mysterious Egyptian Art-Deco styled Woodward Mausoleum is just one of the unique heritage buildings and structures profi led in Burnaby’s new inventory.

Burnaby City Archives

Cover of the new book “Burnaby’s Heritage: An Inventory of Buildings and Structures”.


BURNABY COMMUNITY

HERITAGEREGISTER


Through the Heritage Planning Program the City of Burnaby has pursued offering incentives, including Heritage Revitalization Agreements (HRA) for the protection of heritage buildings listed on the Community Heritage Register. In 2007 two additional signifi cant historic sites were protected by a Heritage Designation Bylaws. Burnaby now has 47 protected buildings and structures.

ONEZIME AND CHARLSIE NAUD RESIDENCE 4737 Victory Street

The Naud farmhouse is one of Burnaby’s landmark historic homes in the South Slope area of Burnaby. This two-storey residence was built in 1908 by Onezime Georges and Charlsie Elizabeth Naud who settled on this site in 1900 to develop one of Burnaby’s most prominent strawberry and fruit farms. O.G. Naud, a native of Portneuf Quebec, was also a talented stone mason who worked on many B.C. landmark structures such as the Parliament Building in Victoria, the Vancouver Post offi ce and the New Westminster Bridge. Naud expertly constructed his home’s block foundation using granite boulders found during the clearing of lands for the farm. These rock deposits are known as “glacial erratics” and are a unique geological feature of the City’s natural landscape, having been deposited by ancient glaciers, which once covered Burnaby.

The farmhouse is also considered valuable as it is one of Burnaby’s few remaining examples of the Queen Anne Revival style and features a number of unique and rare vernacular design elements copied from Quebec farm residences which includes the double-storied porch and steeply sloped ‘bell-cast’ hipped roof. The house is also a very decorative example of its type featuring carved eave brackets, turned classical styled porch columns, palladium gable window and fret-work cut gable decorations. This residence is one of the

Haddon House being moved into its new position, 2006.

The Naud farmhouse is a unique survivor of Burnaby’s agricultural history in the South Slope neighbourhood.

This historic photograph of the Naud family home shows the historic architectural details and will be restored as part of the Heritage Revitalization Agreement.



HISTORIC SITE DESIGNATIONS


few historic buildings remaining in this neighborhood and constitutes an important landmark providing the opportunity to interpret the early history and heritage of Burnaby.

The Planning Department and Subdivision Approving Offi cer worked with the property owner to prepare a suitable plan of subdivision and development utilizing an HRA and panhandled lot to allow for the creation of two separate lots. A new front lot provided for the construction of a new single-family dwelling following the requirements of the R5 Residential District. The second lot provides for the retention and designation by bylaw of the existing Naud House as a City heritage site.

ST. JOHN THE DIVINE CHURCH 3891 Kingsway

As specifi ed in the Heritage Revitalization Agreement for this historic Metrotown Church, the exterior and interior features of this building were advanced for protection under a Heritage Designation Bylaw in 2007. The protection of this heritage building was anticipated prior to the current development application being submitted for Council review in 2007 and included a comprehensive plan for its renovation. The exterior conservation of the building included the restoration of the bell tower and steeple and the restoration of stained glass windows. Additionally, the stucco siding of the building was removed and replaced with replica wood siding and the roof re-shingled with cedar shakes. Interior features being protected include the original church bell and tower, scissor-truss gothic roof braces, wood panelled ceiling and altar, wood pews and altar rails. The completion of the provisions of the Heritage Revitalization Agreement and Heritage Conservation Plan are anticipated in 2008.

St. John the Divine Anglican Church was a prominent early landmark on Kingsway at Central Park.


The restored church steeple and building features are protected by the new Heritage Designation Bylaw.


HISTORIC SITE DESIGNATIONS


Planning and Building Department staff has been monitoring protected privately-owned heritage sites in the city and ensuring their compliance with the city’s bylaws, Heritage Revitalization Agreements and national heritage conservation standards. The following three projects have benefi ted from the city’s Heritage Planning Program incentives and the approved heritage conservation works were substantially completed or initiated in 2007.

JOSEPH & ELLEN CLARKE HOUSE,5575 Jersey Street

Protected by a Heritage Revitalization in 2005 the restoration of the Clarke farmhouse is part of a multi-family development for Metrotown which was completed in 2007. The conservation plan by Birmingham and Wood architects have ensured that the building, which was relocated on its site, was carefully conserved to protect its original doors, windows and exterior trims where possible. The original shingles that had deteriorated were replaced and the project is now largely completed.

GEORGE AND JESSIE HADDON HOUSE, 5558 Buckingham Avenue

The Haddon House is one of Burnaby’s landmark residential heritage buildings. It was constructed and occupied in 1923 by the Secretary of the Vancouver General Hospital, George S. Haddon and his wife Jessie Haddon. This residence is a very good local example of the Romantic Revival style and is of a style variant known as “Dutch Colonial,” which includes a distinctive symmetrical facade, gambrel roof with shed dormers, casement windows with shutters, large chimneys, rough-cast stucco exterior and quality exterior design features.

The Planning Department has worked with the property owner in 2007 to ensure the proper relocation and restoration of this heritage building. The owners have now opened their home based Bed and Breakfast business.

2005 2006

AFTER:The restored Clarke House now forms an impressive historic landmark as part of a new townhouse and apartment development.

BEFORE:The Clarke House was a rare surviving farmhouse in the Metrotown area, however it required substantial conservation.

AFTER:The restored Haddon House now serves as a Bed & Breakfast.

BEFORE:The Haddon House needed to be relocated on its property in order to preserve and protect the building.


HERITAGE CONSERVATION

PROJECTS


THE “SWINGING GIRL” NEON SIGN4142 East Hastings Street

Mrs. Helen Arnold opened Helen’s Children’s Wear in 1948 in Burnaby on East Hastings Street. In 1955 she relocated the store to 4142 East Hastings Street and enlisted the assistance of her friend Mr. James Wallace, owner of Vancouver’s Wallace Neon Company, to build and install a new sign for her expanded business. Mr. Reeve, one of the neon company’s design employees, conceived and created the neon sign in 1956 composed of the “Swinging Girl” under a cloud shape with the name “Helen’s” highlighted by neon. The girl is kept swinging by means of a small electric motor hidden in the sign’s hollow core.

The “Swinging Girl” sign immediately became a landmark of Burnaby’s business area on East Hastings Street, now known as the Heights. With the loss of so many examples of neon signs since their heyday in the 1950s, the Helen’s sign gradually became known as one of the best surviving examples of kinetic neon art in British Columbia. The Helen’s sign has survived intact because of the ongoing commitment of its lease-holder to ensure that it remained as the company’s logo and business icon, despite ongoing maintenance and operation costs since it was installed in 1956.

With the closure of the Helen’s store in 2007 City Council authorized the preservation of the sign in cooperation with Helen and Elgin Arnold, the Heights Merchants Association and the sign owner - Sicon Signs. The sign has been removed for restoration to the Sicon Sign workshops. A conservation plan will see the sign restored and rehabilitated to become a city-owned landmark sign for the “Heights” shopping district and be reinstalled at its former location in 2008. Once installation of the sign is completed a Heritage Designation Bylaw report will be advanced for Council consideration and approval.

The “Swinging Girl” at nightcame alive with colour and motion.

During the day, the “Swinging Girl” and its detailed paint work and components creates special character.


HERITAGE CONSERVATION

PROJECTS


HOUSE PLAQUES

The Community Heritage Commission annually operates a plaque program for designated heritage buildings to ensure the manufacture and installation of the city’s unique bronze plaques. These heritage plaques have an important role in the overall City Heritage Program as they visually mark the heritage building and indicate the city’s legal protection. The plaque also conveys the special interest and pride that the community retains in these historic sites as well as serving an interpretive role to convey the name of the original owner and the building’s construction date. Single family residential properties receive the plaques without charge while multi-family and commercial property owners fund their property’s plaque as part of the negotiated Heritage Revitalization Agreements.

In 2007 Burnaby staff installed plaques on the following heritage properties:

Jacob and Margaret Wysong House 1912 6525 Sperling Avenue

Joseph and Sarah Clarke House 1909 5575 Jersey Street

Roy and Catherine Cummins House 1912 4156 Rumble Street

George and Jessie Haddon House 1922 5520 Buckingham Avenue

PUBLICATIONS

The Heritage Program has completed new publications to serve the aim of heritage awareness in the community. The compilation of “Burnaby’s Heritage: An Inventory of Buildings and Structures was completed in 2007 and will be available for sale in 2008. The Friends of Interurban 1223 partnered with the Heritage Program to produce “Tram Memories: In Celebration of the Restoration of Interurban 1223.” Although funded by this non-profi t group the book’s production including: editing, graphic design and printing was undertaken by the Heritage Program and city staff.

The publication of Tram Memories was a partnership between the Friends of Interurban 1223 and Burnaby’s Heritage Program.

Owner and operator of the Haddon House Bed & Breakfast, Johannes Stolz, poses proudly with the new City of Burnaby Heritage Building plaque.

PUBLICAWARENESS:

PROJECTS


BURNABY REMEMBERS

In 2005, Burnaby’s Community Heritage Commission established a comprehensive list of its war dead and city residents that served in the armed forces during World War II. The World War II Roll of Honour and the World War I Roll of Honour were displayed during November, 2007 in the foyer of City Hall. These projects and the annual civic observance of Remembrance Day have been organized annually under the project name “Burnaby Remembers” which has been advanced by the Community Heritage Commission.

The Heritage Program coordinated the advertising of all of Burnaby’s Remembrance Day events with the local media. The Burnaby NewsLeader newspaper partnered with the Community Heritage Commission to present a special colour supplement “Courage Remembered” on November 10, 2007. City staff prepared a full page “Burnaby Remembers” advertisement which listed all of Burnaby’s known war dead from both World War I and World War II. As a result of this project a number of families contacted staff to correct information and missing names on Burnaby’s Roll of Honour.

RIVERS TO SEA HISTORICA FAIR – BURNABY HERITAGE AWARD

The Rivers to Sea Regional Historica Fair was organized by and held at Burnaby Village Museum on May 4-6, 2007. It involved schools from the Burnaby School Board and the Conseil Scolaire Francophone. The Burnaby Community Heritage Commission’s new annual award, for the Best Project on a Burnaby theme, was presented to the Second Street Community School for their Heritage Banner project which highlighted the history and heritage of East Burnaby.

Full page ad that appeared in the Newsleader newspaper’s special supplement “Courage Remembered”.

Second Street Community School’s winning banner project was displayed in the Tram Barn at Burnaby Village Museum before being hung on street lamp standards in the neighbourhood.

PUBLICAWARENESS:

PROJECTS


HERITAGE BURNABY WEBSITE

The Community Heritage Commission’s most ambitious 2007 heritage project evolved from the Historic Photograph Online Database which was approved for capital funding by Council. City staff working in partnership created a comprehensive new public Heritage Burnaby website which will be launched at www.heritageburnaby.ca. to celebrate Heritage Week, February 18-25, 2008.

This online collaboration represents all of the community assets, heritage services and historic collections managed by the city. As a collaborative effort it has evolved as a comprehensive community heritage and history website as an adjunct to the City of Burnaby webpages. The website has the tag line ‘Personal History - Collective Memory’ which was coined to represent the unique personal stories told by the photographs, records, buildings and artifacts which as a whole create a collective memory for the city.

The project brought together a comprehensive and integrated online database system to capture all of the history of the city’s heritage collections. The most comprehensive of these so far is the new historic photographs database which contains over fi ve thousand images depicting the growth and development of Burnaby from the late-1800s to the present. You can search every subject or neighbourhood to fi nd a historic image from virtually every corner and era of the city. More images are being scanned and added to the database each day – eventually, more than 10,000 photographs from all city collections will be available for public search and reference.

Burnaby’s “Heritage Landmarks” database includes both protected heritage buildings and structures and an inventory of other heritage sites and resources in the City that do not have legal protection, but contribute to the heritage and character of the city. The City Archives will also be making available a database of more than 5000 textual records while the Burnaby Village Museum and the Burnaby Public Library – who are also partners in Heritage Burnaby – have placed examples of artifacts and links to books and resources that provide more insight into our city’s fascinating history.

PUBLICAWARENESS:

PROJECTS


The new Heritage Burnaby website will allow anyone to cross-search our collections to discover related photographs, artifacts, textual records and heritage landmarks.

PUBLICAWARENESS:

PROJECTS

If you are interested in searching the City of Burnaby’s collections of photographs, artifacts, textual records and

heritage landmarks this page allows you to fi nd it online. You can search all of the collections through a ‘One-step’

search or choose an individual collection to explore.


The Community Heritage Commission has supported and reviewed several conservation projects for city-owned heritage building and sites in Deer Lake Park, which is Burnaby’s largest and most signifi cant heritage precinct.

EAGLES ESTATE HERITAGE GARDEN

The Eagles Estate was purchased by the City in 1995 for inclusion into Deer Lake Park. The park’s Master Plan outlined the vision for the estate to become a signifi cant historical and horticultural display and feature within the park. The Community Heritage Commission led the project to ensure that Burnaby’s “most intact and signifi cant Edwardian styled gardens” was preserved and protected and that the City would restore, to the fullest extent possible, the features of the original landscape. Through accomplishing these objectives the Eagles Estate is to be one of the primary features within Deer Lake Park available for public use and enjoyment.

The development of the Eagles Estate Heritage Garden project began in 2004 through its lease to TLC Land Conservancy of B.C. As part of this lease the TLC applied for a non-local government application to the Canada/B.C. Infrastructure Program to complete the reconstruction of the staircase and retaining walls adjacent to the house. The grant application was completed and submitted to the BC Ministry of Small Business of Economic Development and a combined federal/provincial contribution of $171,430.00 was approved in 2004. The project was designed and supervised by McGinn Engineering and Preservation Ltd. and completed in 2007 by Morse Construction Ltd.

BEFORE:All of the Eagles Estate’s original fencing and trellis, including the landmark “Litchgate”, survived on the site but in poor condition. From the remaining pieces plans were drawn to insure that the original design of this unique heritage feature of the garden could be restored.

AFTER: The Litchgate and fence restored.

The new restored fence now defi nes the historic property of the Eagles Estate at Sperling Avenue and Deer Lake Drive.

CIVIC STEWARDSHIPOF HERITAGE


BEFORE:The original grand staircase had started to crumble and needed to be completely reconstructed.

DURING:The reconstruction project was more of an engineering and drainage project before the decorative staircase could begin to be restored.

AFTER:The restored staircase forms a beautiful and functional path to connect the Eagles home with its terraced gardens.

TLC also provided an additional funding commitment to the Eagles Estate through fundraising and sourcing donated materials from community groups and businesses. The Burnaby Rhododendron and Gardens Society and Burnaby Rotary partnered with TLC to reconstruct all of the decorative fencing and gates that border the north and east portions of the garden. This project was part of the Infrastructure Program Grant and was also completed in 2007. The completion of the garden restoration was celebrated with ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration held on June 24 which drew over 300 visitors and guests. This project has substantially advanced the goal of restoring for public use and enjoyment the beautiful historic garden created by Drs. Blythe and Violet Eagles in the 1930s.



VORCE TRAM STATION

The Vorce Tram Station is a small passenger shelter, which was originally constructed in 1911 as part of the British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER) Company’s Burnaby Lake Interurban Line. It was named in honour of C.B. Vorce, the BCER engineer in charge of the line’s construction. The Vorce Tram Station is typical of the small local passenger stations that existed on the Burnaby Lake and Chilliwack interurban lines. Vandalism and deterioration of the original Vorce Station structure led to its alteration by the B.C. Electric Railway Company in the later 1940s. The renovation of the station removed many of the unique Edwardian architectural features that distinguished this structure for its purpose as a passenger shelter.

Upon the closure of the interurban line (now the site of the Trans-Canada Highway) in 1953, the station was relocated from the foot of Nursery Street to the ‘Lubbock Farm’ at Canada Way and Haszard Street for use as a granary shed. In 1977, the station was identifi ed for preservation and relocated to Burnaby Village Museum. In 1992, this signifi cant heritage building was formally protected by Burnaby Heritage Site Designation Bylaw, No. 9807

The heritage value of the Vorce Tram Station lies in its survival as the last-known rural interurban station in British Columbia. These structures were once a ubiquitous feature of the extensive British Columbia Electric Railway interurban system. The heritage signifi cance for this station also lies in its interpretive value as an important cultural feature of Burnaby’s transportation history in association with the recent restoration of Interurban 1223 and the construction and opening of a new tram barn at Burnaby Village Museum.

The original blueprint plan of the Burnaby Lake Interurban Line stations was discovered in the City Archives and solved the mystery of the missing architectural features of Vorce Station.


In this historic photograph, taken in 1953, tram 1233 has stopped at Vorce Station at the foot of Nursery Street.

Burnaby Village Museum



As part of the construction of the new tram barn for Interurban 1223, the relocation of the Vorce Tram Station on the site of Burnaby Village Museum was advanced to the Community Heritage Commission for approval of a Heritage Alteration Permit and works in 2007. Provision was made for the installation of the station onto a new concrete foundation with a wood plank platform. The relocation of the Vorce Tram Station has provided an opportunity to complete its restoration. A restored station will serve as the entrance platform for Interurban 1223 on the occasions when it is displayed outdoors and provides additional interpretation opportunities to the museum site. The Commission and Council approved a capital plan to prepare a restoration and conservation plan which was completed in 2007 by Barry McGinn, architect. The project will be advanced for tender and construction in 2008.

Vorce Station was relocated in 2007 as part of the construction of a new tram barn for Interurban 1223.

Burnaby Village Museum


St Louis Interurban and a station built with the same plans as Vorce Station.

Courtesy Henry Ewert


The Community Heritage Commission has been actively involved with the creation and development of the City Archives in order to provide a safe and accessible repository for historic records which form an integral part of Burnaby’s heritage.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the City of Burnaby Archives is to protect and preserve the rights of the City of Burnaby and its citizens by safeguarding the records which document those rights and to provide leadership and innovation in the management of private records which supplement the offi cial corporate memory. The City of Burnaby Archives strives to help build a modern public service by managing the information critical to the operation of the government and to make these vital resources universally accessible.

Students posed outside the new West Burnaby School in 1896 which was located on today’s Metropolis site.

City of Burnaby Archives

The beach at Deer Lake Park was the place to be on a hot summer day in 1958.


CITY ARCHIVES


2007 ANNUAL REPORT “Personal History – Collective Memory”

This caption – which will become the permanent tag line for our new website - is a fi tting caption for what will be the new, online heritage resource for the City of Burnaby, but it is also fi tting for the Archives as well. The City Archives has grown in 2007 to refl ect not only the collective memory of the city, but to embody the personal history of those individuals and groups whose records have been transferred into our custody during the past year and whose histories tell the story of Burnaby’s growth and development. The City Archives has as its core mission the protection, preservation and promotion of these vital resources and we will endeavour to build upon the successes of 2007 to continue this work well into the future.

In February, 2008, the City of Burnaby Archives, working in partnership with its civic partners will launch a new, online resource for heritage in Burnaby. This website will be a central portal of information that will allow the public to search, view and investigate the collections of the City Archives which include both historical photographs and textual records. For the past year, work at the City Archives has revolved around the management and creation of this website and the shared collections management software that was installed to help store and retrieve the tens of thousands of records that comprise the respective collections.

This project was a formidable undertaking carried out under the leadership of the Community Heritage Commission, with the support of City Council and it ushered in a series of positive changes to the operation of the City Archives, not the least of which was the expanded mandate for the Archives which was adopted in late 2006.

Burnaby’s fi rst royal visit required the construction of a Welcome Arch at Kingsway and Edmonds for the Duke of Connaught in 1912.


CITY ARCHIVES

The photographs reproduced on pages 16-17 are examples from the Burnaby Historical Society Collection donated to the City Archives in 2007. This collection is available for viewing on the new Heritage Burnaby website’s photograph database.


Burnaby sidewalks loan bylaw bond certifi cate from 1910.


ARCHIVAL RECORDS PROGRAM

In 2001, when the City of Burnaby Archives was fi rst opened, the mandate for its archival records program was directly connected to the overall records management program that is administered by the Offi ce of the City Clerk. As such, the archives was established to function as the fi nal repository for all records created by the city that were deemed to have permanent value whether it be for administrative, fi nancial, legal or informational purposes. By late 2006, however, it was recognized that the archival records program could be used to fulfi l a wider purpose and could be expanded to include the records of the community as a whole. As a result, a new collections mandate was adopted by City Council in September, 2006.

On February 14, 2007 – as a direct result of this mandate change - the City signed an agreement with the Burnaby Historical Society that would result in the transfer of the Community Archives into the control and custody of the City. For more than 50 years, the Burnaby Historical Society has acted in the interest of heritage preservation in Burnaby and they operated a Community Archives for many years prior to the City Archives being established. With the increased scope and mandate at the City Archives, however, the Historical Society recognized the potential for consolidation of the collections. The entire community collection of more than 5000 photographs and 36 linear metres of textual records were physically moved from their storage space at the Burnaby Village Museum and re-housed at the City Archives. The City Archives is now mandated as the primary authority for the collection, maintenance and preservation of all records for the City of Burnaby.

Other groups are also taking advantage of the opportunity to work with the City to see their records preserved as part of the Community Archives. In late 2007, the fi rst of what is hoped to be many transfers of records was received from School District No. 41. Archives staff are continuing to work with School District staff to formulate a collection plan and transfer agreements that will result in the permanent inclusion of school records in the City Archives.

CITY ARCHIVES


MAJOR PROJECTS

Throughout 2007, a number of projects were completed in conjunction with, and in preparation for, the launch of “Heritage Burnaby” online. These included:

• 5000 photographs scanned, described and prepared to be made available online

• Almost 50,000 Council reports dating from 1946-present indexed in the new database along with all 12,000 bylaws that have been created since the City’s incorporation in 1892.

• More than 20,000 individual reports and bylaws scanned and linked to the database to allow staff members to view full-text versions of the documents as they search the system. This utility will eventually be made public and incorporated into our online website to allow members of the general public to search and view Burnaby’s Council reports and bylaws.

While these projects were being completed, the day-to-day operation at the City Archives was not neglected and the high standard of research and assistance that had been built over the past 5 years was not sacrifi ced. The project involved the creation of a temporary full time archival assistant position which was fi lled by Melissa Adams, a recent graduate of the UBC School of Library Archival and Information Studies. Administrative support for the project and the operation of the archives was provided by Gillian Stewart. Through the addition of this staff the archives was able to complete the project while still handling an increased number of research requests and processing new accessions into the collection.

One of the new acquisitions for the City Archives in 2007 was the Hill collection which included this rare early view of Deer Lake Brook and an aboriginal dug-out canoe, c.1890.


CITY ARCHIVES


The Community Heritage Commission would like to acknowledge and thank City of Burnaby Staff from various civic departments who coordinate the delivery of the city’s public heritage programs and projects:

Planning and Building Department:

Jim Wolf, H E R I TA G E P L A N N E R

Clerk’s Department:

Debbie Comis, C I T Y C L E R K

Arilea Sill, A R C H I V I S T

Blanka Zeinabova, A D M I N I S T R AT I V E O F F I C E R

Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department:

Denis Nokony, A S S I S TA N T D I R E C T O R C U LT U R A L S E R V I C E S

Deborah Tuyttens, M A N A G E R - B U R N A B Y V I L L A G E M U S E U M

Lisa Codd, C U R AT O R - B U R N A B Y V I L L A G E M U S E U M

Tom Gooden, A S S I S TA N T C U R AT O R - B U R N A B Y V I L L A G E M U S E U M

Elisabeth Czerwinski, C O N S E R VAT O R - B U R N A B Y V I L L A G E M U S E U M

Darrin Martens, M A N A G E R - B U R N A B Y A R T G A L L E R Y

Burnaby Public Library:

Edel Toner-Rogala, C H I E F L I B R A R I A N

Yail Waisman, L I B R A R I A N

Burnaby Municipal Hall and staff, 1911.


burnaby community heritage commission 2007 annual …services/planning/... · 2011-08-11 ·...

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